£1.2 million of assets stripped from firm engaged in illegal dumping

An investigation by the Environment Agency has culminated in a landfill operator being forced to hand over almost £1.2 million of assets, and to pay more than £86,000 in fines.

The investigation, dubbed Operation Cleansweep, found that John Craxford’s firm, John Craxford Plant Hire Ltd., had illegally buried large amounts of waste.

Craxford pleaded guilty to allowing waste such as wood, plastics, cardboard, electrical goods and household waste to be buried in a site that only permitted the dumping of soil and stone. This unsuitable waste was being buried by Craxford’s firm in the Yannon Lane landfill site at Kingkerswell since as early as March 2003.

Additionally offenses included exceeding the site’s yearly waste limit, making false statements in an application for a Pollution Prevention and Control (PPC) permit and keeping controlled waste on land at Yannon lane in a manner likely to cause pollution.

Adrian Evans, from the Environment Agency’s Environmental Crime Team, said: “The scale of illegal tipping at this site is the worst I have encountered.

“Our investigation revealed a catalogue of offenses, committed over a period of several years.”

Craxford was tried at Exeter Crown Court, where Judge Philip Wassall ordered the confiscation of £1,194,638 of Craxford’s assets, equivalent to the money Craxford made as a result of his illegal dumping.

The firm was also fined £60,000 and ordered to pay £18,855 in costs. Craxford was ordered to pay £8,081 in costs.